It is stalemate at Staplewood as Virgil Van Dijk remains away from the squad after standing firm on his desire to leave. Nick and Arron look at the latest developments.

The Daily Echo are reporting this morning that Virgil van Dijk has continued his stand-off with Saints, as he tries to force his way out of the club. The papers on line site reported.

"Saints had hoped that the Dutch centre half would accept the club’s decision not to sell him this summer, and re-join Mauricio Pellegrino’s squad having been forced to train alone while his teammates continued their pre-season preparations in France last week."

"However, van Dijk is understood to have told Saints there is no change in his situation, leading the club to inform him that they are also standing firm."

"Saints are desperate not to lose face having been so solid on this issue, and having been accused of giving in too easily to player demands in the past."

"Liverpool are remaining quiet about van Dijk having been alleged of tapping-up by Saints earlier in the window, but media close to the club still report the Reds are keen to get a deal done."

"Saints, on the other hand, have consistently maintained that he is not for sale and are staying strong in the hope the player will relent."

"But the reality is they have an asset worth £60m or more, who is probably also the best player in the squad, effectively doing nothing of any constructive use to them, and all the while how it affects spirit in the dressing room remains a key concern for Pellegrino. "

"Whatever happens it is difficult for Pellegrino, who is trying to establish himself at the club, while the fans will also remain concerned not only by van Dijk’s actions but by the fact it is overshadowing what should be an exciting build-up to the new campaign. "

Presumably the Echo have got this information directly from the club and as they say it is now a delicate situation, as stated Saints have constantly said they will not sell and that position remains, it could be said that this is the time to start holding the player to his contract, after all Saints have paid him handsomly since January and now they continue to have to pay big wages for a player who for one reason or another is not available to them to do the job he is paid to do.

But getting tough on the player will only inflame the situation at present, Saints had hoped that Van Dijk would come round and honour at least the next year of his contract, this being the case they were handling him with kid gloves.

If they get tough that will only alienate the player further as they found with Jose Fonte a year ago n a similar situation.

With no bids having arrived on the St Mary's doormat we can only assume the player or his agent remain in contact with Liverpool, after all publicly they are saying they have ended their interest, so surely Van Dijk is not standing firm only to find out that they are not interested after all.

Perhaps ironically enough it is the Saints fans who hold the key, the club are well aware that the supporters are disgruntled after 3 summers of sales, they blamed the club and accused them of giving in too easily, despite the fact that in every summer they did stand firm when it suited them with Schneiderlin, Wanyama and Fonte told they had to stay.

But Fonte last year and now Van Dijk this highlight the arrogance and disregard to which today's players show their employers, of course it's business but it has to be two way.

Now Saints fans will begin to understand what has gone on over the last three years, in the main the departures of Lallana, Lovren, Clyne, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Mane Fonte and now Van Dijk centre not on the club's desire to sell them off to the first bidder, but on those players demands to be sold to the club of their choice, not to the highest bidder at a price that suits Saints, but to the club they want to go to, ie the one that offers them the most.

I don't blame them for that but they can't have it both ways, they sign contracts they should be prepared to honour them.

So perhaps fan power holds the key, the Saga continues to rumble on and over shadow the excitement of the start of the new season, it now time for the club to consider selling Van Dijk ? Or as Nick and Freddie have said on the latest TUI transfer talk have Saints backed themselves into a corner now and have no choice but to stand firm?

The comments on Social Media seem to be that the majority of supporters want the club to stand firm, early indications on our poll say 59% want the club to stand firm and sell him, a further 12 % say let him rot in the reserves whilst only 29% just want the sorry saga over and the player sold.

What are your thoughts ? Give your thoughts in the comments section and vote in our poll using the link below

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/members/!/polls/1782/your-tho

Photo: Action Images

charlie357 added 09:34 - Aug 2 I think the situation has dragged on too far now, he can't come back into the team. I agree in principle with leaving him to rot in the reserves but I think he's too valuable to not cash in on. Sell him to anyone other than Liverpool though! Even if we have to knock the price down to £50m or so.
3

ChristchurchSaint added 09:37 - Aug 2 This sort of behaviour is one of the reasons that I am becoming totally disillusioned with football in general. Players earn more in a week than most of us do in a year. They are idolised by fans, and then they renage on contracts as if they are totally irrelevant. I will always support my team as I have for the last 45 years, but wasting hard earned cash to watch primadonnas parading around as if they are gods is becoming very galling.

10

bigmart added 09:45 - Aug 2 I would like the FA to get involved with this mess. Van Dijk was happy to sign a new deal and "honoured" to become captain of Southampton, UNTIL, Klopp got to him. It seems VvD has taken advice from some so called Liverpool "legends" and possibly some ex Saints players. If we decide to sell him to Liverpool, the tapping up process was a success. I'd like the FA to tell Liverpool, if they try to sign him, the sh*t will hit the fan, but I doubt it will happen. I'm not sure if the fans would accept him back in a Saints shirt, it just may have gone too far.

10

highfield49 added 09:53 - Aug 2 Perhaps the club should let him go to Liverpool for £70m with a clause in the contract that we get at least 50% of the sell on fee to PSG, Barcelona, Real Madrid etc who will come knocking on their door next year. If the scousers think that they can hold onto him they are seriously deluded. Shame he wont be able to play in the same team as Coutinho who is "not for sale" but will have learnt a lot from VVDs unprofessional behaviour.

5

SanMarco added 09:55 - Aug 2 The whole transfer system is set up to discourage players from putting in a transfer request. The simple and logical (and moral - if that is a word that can be used about this nonsense) way forward is for VVD to formally ask to move. We would then tell him that he will go to the highest bidder if our valuation is reached. Sadly, if Liverpool bid the right amount and it is the highest then it would be them. If a reasonable price is not offered we talk again on 1st September. It is OBSCENE, LUDICROUS, DISGRACEFUL, whatever adjective you choose, that this guy is holding out for a multi-million pound pay-off FROM US. All this money comes from US. It is nothing short of theft - money gained through dishonesty - don't tell me that isn't theft. Having got very angry writing that paragraph I would make a final, perhaps contradictory point - bullet point four in the rulebook for leaving Saints (after changing agents, secret meetings and 'anonymous' press briefings) states that it has become 'untenable' for the player to play again due to the fans being angry. VVD had burnt his bridges now, it is difficult to envisage a scenario where he plays for us again, but a word for all of those ready to turn to abuse: The club will be looking for an excuse to back down - abusive fans will give them it. Let's not do it.

5

aceofthebase added 10:12 - Aug 2 I wanted to give VVD a chance to rejoin the fold but it does not appear there is much chance of this happening. I wonder how the recent chat went, why were Saints management not winning the argument? Has he refused to play or just said his heart is elsewhere or similar? If he is never to wear a Saints shirt again I do hope that we do not sell him in this window or preferably for another year and never to Liverpool. I would also hope that not only do we stop paying him but we take him to court to reclaim past recent wages. Now let's get on with the football and not waste any more time on VVD.

2

Jesus_02 added 10:17 - Aug 2 I said it before, and I still believe I was right. If we had been stronger on the Wanyama situation and let him run his contract down we may have lost 7.5m* but we would have maintained our credibility. Maybe then we wouldn't have a reputation as such a soft touch. *probably less 11m - Celtics sell on + development fees and agent fees I would love to believe that we realise even supermarkets need to take a loss on some stock if they want to keep the price up but unfortunately I can see this going to a final day of the transfer window sale for and undisclosed fee. Liverpool will say £50m saints will say £60. In truth will probably be 40m + 10m if Liverpool win the EPL (beat saints twice next season) and maybe + 20m if he gets 5 England Caps!

2

dirk_doone added 10:18 - Aug 2 If he's that desperate to leave, why doesn't the greedy bast@rd put in a transfer request? Is he that worried he might lose his cut of the transfer fee? I guess he wants to squeeze evey last penny out of the Club which has taken care of him and paid him to do nothing for the last 6 months.
9

DPeps added 10:46 - Aug 2 The whole situation is depressing. At the risk of sounding like an old fogey... there's enough things that upset and annoy me in the world, without football adding to it. I agree with Dirk that this situation is very much a product of our transfer policy over the last few years. Of course, our approach has brought us a good deal of success, but it's encouraged players just see us as a stepping stone as they know they will be able to push a move if they really want. The horse is out the stable now so best to sell and get a replacement in sharpish.

-1

DPeps added 10:49 - Aug 2 (Sorry, meant to say that I agree with Jesus - which good Saint wouldn't?)
1

Sanguin added 10:54 - Aug 2 Yes, this is casting a large shadow over the season and VVD is breaking our hearts. But, I think if the club stands firm then we will see VVD play for Saints again. As I’ve said before; Schneiderlin was more vocal in his displeasure at not being allowed to leave; Wanyama decided himself not to play for Saints; and both played another season for us. VVD is being publically kept out of the squad by the manager, the only difference in this situation is that it is public. If VVD turns out and puts in a series of good performances then I can see the fans getting behind him again. VVD is in an awkward position, he clearly wants to engineer a move to Liverpool and it would be odd for this position to have changed after the squad returned from France. But, no offers have been made for him. Liverpool have hamstrung themselves because they cannot now make an offer for VVD without risking the PL’s wrath. VVD could hand in a transfer request but this would not guarantee a move to Liverpool. The only way that Liverpool can sign the player is if Saints offer him to Liverpool, which they can’t do without incurring the wrath of the fans. I hope he either stays and is reintegrated into the squad, or Barcelona make an offer with their Neymar money. Either way, we need to sign at least one centre back, preferably in the next week. I am sick of top teams tapping up our players and ruining our pre-season and start of the League. If they want the players they should put their money where their mouths are and make a bid. Saints need to stand firm to stop this from happening in future.

5

StRipper added 10:57 - Aug 2 The club can not and must not back down. As bigmart says, if we sell to Liverpool this widow, the tapping up exercise was a success. With the media blowing up the significance of every meeting or turn of events, it makes it harder for supporters to retain perspective. But the fact is, nothing has fundamentally changed. Come the end of August, if Saints have stood strong, Liverpool will be in panic and having to explain their failed transfer strategy to their one eyed fans, VVD will have to climb down and apologise to the club and ask to play and the fans will get over themselves, just like they did with Spider. At the moment, that is the best outcome for Saints. Otherwise we will get nothing like the players value if we open the bidding to one club who clearly wants the player on the cheap. The only thing that will change anything is if VVD hands in a transfer request and waives his cut of any transfer fee, thereby putting Saints in a more advantageous commercial position and able to set the selling fee The fact that he hasn't done that shows that this is all about money for him and his agent. It also shows Liverhampton aren't willing or able to surmount that hurdle or they would have done so when this all first blew up. Aside from all that, I can't stomach the thought of strengthening Liverhampton again. I have no qualms about selling VVD to the highest bidder and I'm confident Saints can replace him but it all has to be on Saints terms or our season will feel like it is over before it has begun. I will not be paying any of my money into football if my club is clearly only there to make up the numbers as the the Premier League, FA, Sky, BT etc want us to now down and accept. The price of folding to Liverhampton now will do far more damage to team morale and fan belief than showing steel and determination to not be dictated to by players and agents. Let's not forget, it's World Cup next year when player prices go through the roof. Hold onto VVD until then and he will have to play his socks off to ensure Dutch selection and likely ensure we pocket top dollar and the end of next summer. The buyer then is also highly unlikely to be the scousers as they won't have the financial clout to beat Chelsea, Man U, Man C or the big Spanish clubs.

7

1970 added 11:07 - Aug 2 His value wont drop for a season in with the u21's so we know we have 60 mill or so we can borrow on that basis and buy a new CB to replace him now, so make him sit the season in with the reserves and spend the whole season negotiating deals with all of Europe except sh**epool about selling the t**t at the end of the season, and if he's not in the first team his wages will be far less and without any bonuses, I hope coutinho goes as well that would be priceless as would getting knocked out of C/League qualify stage coyr

2

pete_boggs added 11:18 - Aug 2 Did SFC make a mistake when they banned VvD from training with the group as no-one takes well to being excluded? Now he's on his own with only his own thoughts and no team mates to try and talk him round. Also is he training correctly on his own? Why can't SFC just say to VvD re-join the group? If he refuses then no wages are paid and VvD will have to start playing again. If they carry on wishy-washing around then the general public will surmise that SFC are actually not in control and do not have good organisation.

-3

WanderingSaint added 11:29 - Aug 2 Sell him to Everton, really pi$$ the bin dippers off.
-1

oldeastterrace added 11:36 - Aug 2 My first reaction is to say 'Stand our ground' . I cannot bare the thought of us selling him to them. I am f----d off with these big clubs coming in and grabbing who they want when they want, especially these b----rds and the way they go about unsettling players. The Saints fans will end up the losers in all this. If we keep him and it 'genuinely' affects the squad then that is not good and that cannot continue. If we really do have to sell then sell to anyone else other than Liverpool. I tell ya one thing if people hated Lovren after he left then that will be nothing to the reception that this sulky b----rd will get I PROMISE YOU THAT! Nick was sat down telling us last night on 'The UI transfer talk' that Van Djyke has done nothing wrong......do me a favour!!! He could end this saga now. Why won't he? Because he is a sulky prick who wants this move because he is a greedy C--T!!!

3

StRipper added 11:36 - Aug 2 Pete_Boggs as Pellegrino stated, his focus has to be on players who are committed. Putting VVD with the rest of the squad in the aim of "talking him round" is quite a long shot and it isn't going to help the rest of the squad set up if they are building rapport with a player whose heart is not in it and may actually leave. Heck, if he is talking to Liverpool and his agent he may even tap up other squad members. As for training effort, it's hardly like VVD is being let to his own devices. He will have a training programme and will still be working with Saints coaches. Just not the squad. It's not like he is back in school and being told to run round the field for punishment. And I'm not sure how the club is being wishy washy. They have taken a stance and have earnt my respect for that. Maybe with other fans too. They can hardly put him in a position where they stop paying him or we get into a situation of contract law and he may then have a case for contract termination in the eyes if the law. All very messy. As things are, Saints hold the best cards and the problem sits with he player, his agent and Liverpool. Whilst we may miss VVD 0laying for a few games the clock is ticking down for them, not us. No resolution is a better resolution for Saints than all the other parties involved

3

landerwal added 11:48 - Aug 2 The longer this saga drags on the weaker VVD's position becomes. By the end of the week he will have lost five training games, a week later the season starts. If Saints are doing ok without him and the board remain firm his position will become impossible. As far as the rest of the team is concerned, players only think about their own form and whether they will be playing in the next match, not the antics of another player. Pellegrino's tactic of making the player train alone is dead right. Out of sight, out of mind. As long as the club stand firm, they hold all the cards. Give in and they will completely lose the respect of the club's supporters and be the laughing stock of football in general, especially in the city of Liverhampton.

5

patred added 11:50 - Aug 2 There are 2 factors that annoy me in this sordid affair. First the immoral and illegal stance of LFC, van Dijk, and his agent. But that stance would not have been possible if our club had not followed the line of appeasement in our previous deals with Liverpool. It has been said that with Schniderlin and Wanyama we took a firmer line. But those deals were not with LFC. That club thought they had a special relationship with us, and were taken aback by our refusal to sell. Their behaviour has destroyed the relationship between club and player and cost us millions in his valuation. Meanwhile, the FAPL have stood by whilst one of their 'favoured big clubs' openly float their rules and continue a bullying campaign by others, but in their name. We are left with a player whose presence is untenable, and embarrassing. We cannot sell him to anyone other than Liverpool, and if we do that we will lose all creditabality. We would also be letting the rest of clubs down that have seen our stance as thiers. But they will not be losing millions. There can be no outcome that suits our club or fans. Winners? not us, not the player, not football. Only LFC,who gets everything they want, at the price they want. And of course the infamous Wasserman Group who will have another massive pay day at our expense again.

1

simmo400 added 12:39 - Aug 2 We moan about big clubs pinching our players but the truth is they sign for the cash. Who wouldn't doubling your money and yet playing less most of the time. Imagine working from 50 hrs a week down to 25hrs yet earning maybe 2 to 3 times the cash ? we would all jump at it. Second point don't Saints pay/pinch other players from lesser teams such as Celtic when it suits them ? Sell VVD invest the cash its the way of the footy world. If your fed up with it don't go.

-3

mattlegod added 12:42 - Aug 2 He is letting the club down and his team mates as they are unable to prepare for the new season properly. it's about time the fa brought in sanctions against players to stop them being paid if they decide to strike.
1

ExiledSupporter added 12:42 - Aug 2 Very well said both Sanguin and St Ripper (twice3), highly thoughtful and rational positions, unusually I have nothing further to say, your remarks are right on the money. Thank you
1

Cambsaint added 12:43 - Aug 2 The situation is now at an end-point It is inconceivable that Saints will put him on the transfer list without a written transfer request. There is no bid, as Liverpool are presumably worried about the EPL reaction and surely inevitable penalty. VVD must put his request in writing, lose his 10% . He can share the loss with his agent, who has probably caused all the trouble anyway. Saints cannot sell without a bid or transfer request. The best outcome for all concerned is that Saints get very close to £50 million net of player percentages and bonuses, agents fees, and Celtic's sell on. They should also demand at least 75% up front. VVD must realise that his reputation is now very tarnished and his chances of playing for a genuine top club have been damaged. Unless VVD gives way, Saints must ensure that he will be running round Staplewood on his own until January.

2

SanMarco added 12:49 - Aug 2 I share Jesus' view on the VW transfer. I said (as did others) at the time that due to the (relatively speaking) low fee we should have made him see his contract out. It would have sent a message - actions really do speak louder than words. Indeed the club's fine words on VVD will mean less than nothing if they back down now...
2

sambat added 13:23 - Aug 2 Refusing to play, breach of contract, = no wages, simple as that. Saints must stand firm. In the meantime let's get his replacement anyway.
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